Healin’ Symbols
For the past three decades I have been working with a language created from 26 images juxtaposed with 26 words that do not necessarily go together. This personal iconography reflects my fascination with language, both visual and verbal, and our ways of communication, or lack thereof. It has taken me years to collect this language and incorporate into my paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture. The language is called “The Healin’ Symbols.” The critic D. Eric Bookhardt describes the work as “faux-naive” - “reflecting the inner child in an exploration of the mysteries of life, creation, and other cool stuff.”
Magic - this animal paired with the word 'magic' reminds us of the magical child who is within us all
All of the Healin' Symbols and their meanings are now available in The Healin' Symbols Book Typeset, Vol. 2
Ham - the image of a baby chick and the word ham is the symbol for innocence. My niece thought chicken came from ham
Wonder - the symbol for the mysterious wonders of life, embrace it!
Tree - My nephew made a car from a piece of wood and painted in blue. I love the word tree with this image
Dream - the symbol for change and experiencing the ever changing world we live in
Baby - taken from a drawing my daughter did of herself when she was 5 years old, the purist symbol of innocence and hope
Eye - the eyes are the key to one's soul
Cloud - the symbol for evolving, climbing to lighter aspects of life
Swine - the image of the ice cream cone and the word 'swine' is the symbol for differences. Embrace the differences in everyone and everything.
Heart - the oldest symbol. A self portrait always reminds us to look at the world in different ways
Soul - the window represents the gateway to the soul
Death - symbol for renewal and growth
Uphold Your Soul - the child on a ladder is the symbol of our spiritual evolution here on Earth
Viola - the cross and the word 'Viola' pays homage to the most spiritual person I know
Silence - creating in the studio one has silence, time to put down roots and watch the blossoming of work
Window - seeing one's soul through the eyes
Fresh Peaches - going home I saw a sign with a watermelon painted on it with an arrow pointing down a gravel road and the words 'fresh peaches' painted under the watermelon. This was the beginning of the 'Healin Symbols'
Fish - the sun and the word fish is the symbol for renewing oneself through the sea, the beach, the sun, family
Ladder - the image of the cloud and the word 'ladder' represents searching for the light in our lives
Jazz - the symbol for New Orleans, Jazz is the backbone of our city
Key - this lightbulb and the word 'key' is the symbol for ideas
Wean - the image of a baby bottle and a chicken foot tied to it, a friend did just that to wean his 4 year old son off his bottle, a symbol for letting go
Car - this plant form, like a tree, goes back to my nephew, who made a car out of a piece of wood
Sun - the fish and the word sun is the symbol for feeding one's soul
Art - the skull and the word is for creating. Once a work of art is completed, it is dead in a sense.
Home - the image of the peach and the word home is the symbol for where it all began